Cooling device for near instantaneous water heater for kitchen or bath products

ABSTRACT

The present application relates to a near instantaneous water heater for kitchen or bath products such as a toilet bidet or bidet. The water heater includes a cold water chamber such that water entering the water heater flows through the cold water chamber before it is heated within a heating chamber. A heating element that heats the water in the heating chamber is provided current for heating by a driver (e.g., a silicon controlled rectifier). A thermally conductive member is provided to thermally couple the driver with water in the cold water chamber, thereby using the water in the cold water chamber to cool the driver.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to Chinese PatentApplication No. 201120170873.9, filed May 25, 2011, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a heater for heating water used inkitchen or bath products (e.g., faucets, toilet bidet, bidet, smarttoilet, or any other kitchen or bath product having a need for locallyheated water).

In some existing water heaters, a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) isused for controlling the temperature of the water in and output by theheater. Conventionally, the SCR is mounted on the circuit board. Whenthe SCR is at an ON state for operation and providing driving current tothe heating element, due to the internal resistance of the SCR, the SCRwill also generate heat and thus its temperature increases. Hightemperature can damage the SCR or the circuit board. Conventionalheaters sometimes mount cooling fins on the SCR for improved heatdissipation. Conventional heaters may also use the body of the hot waterchamber to cool the SCR (e.g., to remove heat from the SCR beyond thelevel of the heat in the hot water chamber). A need exists for improvedcooling of the SCR (or another heating driver) in water heating devicesfor kitchen or bath appliances.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the invention relates to a near instantaneous waterheater for kitchen or bath products such as a toilet bidet or bidet. Thewater heater includes a cold water chamber such that water entering thewater heater flows through the cold water chamber before it is heatedwithin a heating chamber. A heating element that heats the water in theheating chamber is provided current for heating by a driver (e.g., asilicon controlled rectifier). A thermally conductive member is providedto thermally couple the driver with water in the cold water chamber,thereby using the water in the cold water chamber to cool the driver.

An objective of the present invention is to provide an instantaneous(i.e., near instantaneous) water heater for kitchen or bath productswhich can achieve an effective cooling for the SCR (or another heatingdriver). To achieve this objective, embodiments of the present inventioninclude a cold water chamber provided on the casing of the water heaterand a heat conductive member thermally conductively connecting the coldwater chamber and the silicon controlled rectifier (or another type ofheating driver). The water heater device may include a heating element,a casing, and a circuit board mounted on the casing. The casing mayinclude a water inlet, an outlet and a heating water chamber. Theheating element can be within the heating water chamber or otherwiseconfigured to heat the water within the heating water chamber. Thecircuit board can have a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) connectedthereto.

Each of the cold water chamber and the heating water chamber may includean inlet and an outlet. The inlet of the cold water chamber may befluidly coupled with the inlet of the casing. The outlet of the coldwater chamber may be fluidly coupled with the inlet of the heating waterchamber. The outlet of the heating water chamber may be fluidly coupledwith the outlet of the casing. The heat conductive member may be mountedat the top of the cold water chamber, and may make contact with water inthe cold water chamber (or with an intermediate and thermally conductivecoupler).

In some embodiments, the casing has a structure with a rectangular flatshape. The cold water chamber is provided at the top of the casing withan opening. The opening of the cold water chamber has a substantiallyrectangular shape with its short sides having an arched shape. The coldwater chamber is provided at a top surface at a corner of the casing.Its long side lateral face is located on a first short side lateral faceof the casing, and the long side has a length less than that of theshort side of the casing. The cold water chamber has a short sidelateral face located on a first long side lateral face of the casing.

In some embodiments, the circuit board and the heat conductive member ontop of the cold water chamber are mounted in parallel on the top surfaceof the casing. The heat conductive member includes a body portion and aconnection portion. The body portion is mounted at the opening on top ofthe cold water chamber and contacts or otherwise thermally couples withwater in the cold water chamber. The connection portion is connectedwith the silicon controlled rectifier and the circuit board.

In varying embodiments, a screw hole is provided outside each of thefour corners of the cold water chamber. The body portion of the heatconductive member has a shape to match the opening on top of the coldwater chamber, and extends towards the surroundings horizontally. Theextending portions at the surroundings are provided with screw holesmatching the screw holes outside the four corners of the cold waterchamber, respectively.

The connection portion of the heat conductive member can include a firstconnection terminal and a second connection terminal. The firstconnection terminal is a plate-shaped structure further extending fromthe extending portion of the body portion. The plate-shaped structure ismounted on the circuit board. The silicon controlled rectifier ismounted on the plate-shaped structure. The second connection terminaland the first connection terminal are located on the same side,presenting a step structure further extending from the extending portionof the body portion. The step structure has a step face matching thelateral face of the circuit board for mounting.

The body portion of the heat conductive member may have a portionmatching the opening on top of the cold water chamber which is a stepshape groove structure, the step shape groove has a bottom faceextending into the cold water chamber.

The bottom face of the step shape groove structure may have an area lessthan or equal to that of the opening on top of the cold water chamber.

A seal ring may be provided between the body portion of the heatconductive member and the opening on top of the cold water chamber.

The heat conductive member may be a heat conductive copper plate,aluminum plate, or other metal heat conductive member having excellentheat conductive performance.

The outlet of the cold water chamber is fluidly coupled, via anintermediate passage, with the inlet of the heating water chamber. Oneor more partitions may be provided in the cold water chamber and/or theheating water chamber to improve thermal performance.

The heating element can include a heating plate with a rectangular shapeand two power supply wires with a rectangular bended shape, the twopower supply wires with a rectangular bended shape are provided on ashort side of the heating plate. The power supply wires may have oneaxis located on the same plane with the heating plate and the other axisperpendicular to the plane of the heating plate.

The casing is provided, on its second short side lateral face, with afirst opening matching the thickness of the heating plate; the heatingplate extends from the first opening, parallel to top and bottomsurfaces of the casing, into the casing, the power supply wires areexposed from the second short side lateral face of the casing.

The heating plate may be a silicon nitride heating plate or an aluminaheating plate.

The water heater device may include a flow meter mounted on the secondlong side lateral face of the casing. The flow meter may include aninlet connected with an external water source and an outlet.

The inlet of the casing may be a segment of tubular structure providedat the top surface of the casing. The tubular structure may have oneterminal connected to the cold water chamber and the other terminal mayextend out of the second long side lateral face of the casing and beconnected with the outlet of the flow meter via a water hose.

A flow meter fixing post and two flow meter fixing plates may beprovided on the second long side lateral face of the casing. The flowmeter may be mounted on the second long side lateral face of the casingby the flow meter fixing post and the two flow meter fixing plates.

The instantaneous heater (i.e., water heater device) may further includea temperature controller. The outlet of the casing and the flow metermay be located in parallel on the second long side lateral face of thecasing. The temperature controller mounting structure may be locatedaround the outlet of the casing.

The temperature controller may be mounted, by the temperature controllermounting structure, in a position of the outlet of the casing. Thetemperature controller may include an inlet connected with the outlet ofthe casing and an outlet for discharging hot water.

The instantaneous heater may include a relief valve. The a secondopening may be located on top surface of the casing near a positioncorresponding to the outlet of the casing. The second opening may be influid communication with the outlet of the casing, with a relief valvemounting structure provided around the second opening. The relief valvemay be mounted, by the relief valve mounting structure, in a position ofthe second opening.

According to varying embodiments of the present invention, aninstantaneous water heater (i.e., water heater device) for a kitchen orbath product (e.g., a bidet, a toilet bidet, a faucet, etc.) mayadvantageously include a cold water chamber connected with a water inletfor the device and the cold water chamber may be used as a heat sink fora current or power driver for a heating element. For example, the coldwater chamber may be thermally coupled to a silicon controlled rectifierby a heat conductive member in contact with water in the cold waterchamber. The water entering the instantaneous heater first passesthrough the cold water chamber before entering the heating water chamberfor heating. Advantageously, cooling of silicon controlled rectifier canthereby be achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a near instantaneous water heater for akitchen or bath product (e.g., bidet with heated stream), according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective structural diagram of theembodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the heat conductive member in theembodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective structural diagram of the casing in theembodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section view along a line A-A in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section view along a line B-B in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the heating element utilized in theembodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to the Figures, a water heater device for locallyheating water for kitchen or bath products (e.g., a toilet bidet orbidet having a controllably heated spray) is shown and described. Thewater heater device includes a casing with a cold water chamberconnected with the water inlet. A heat conductive (i.e., thermallyconductive) member (e.g., piece, plate, bar, tab, cover, etc.) thermallycouples the cold water chamber and the silicon controlled rectifier(SCR). The heat conductive member may directly contact the water in thecold water chamber. Using the heat conductive member and the cold waterchamber, effective or efficient cooling of the silicon controlledrectifier can advantageously be achieved by using the cold water (e.g.,before the cold water is then heated).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an instantaneous heater (i.e., water heaterdevice) is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. The water heaterdevice includes a casing 1 and a cold water chamber 12 (see FIG. 2)provided on, partially in, or in the casing 1. The water heater devicefurther includes a circuit board 2 having a silicon controlled rectifier(SCR) 21 (or another current driver for a resistive heating element)mounted on the board 2. The water heater device further includes a heatconductive member 22 thermally coupling with the cold water chamber 12and the SCR 21. The water heater device further includes a flow meter 3,a heating element 42 (only two power supply wires 41 of the heatingelement 42 can be seen in FIG. 1, 2), a temperature sensor 5, atemperature controller 6, and a relief valve 7.

In the instantaneous heater, the casing has a structure of a flat shape,like a rectangular shape, and in addition to the cold water chamber 12,it is further provided with an inlet, an outlet and a heating waterchamber, wherein the heating water chamber is provided inside the casing1. Moreover, the cold water chamber 12 is communicated with the inlet ofthe casing 1 and the heating water chamber, respectively, and theheating water chamber is communicated with the outlet of the casing 1.

The cold water chamber 12 includes an opening 120. The opening 120 isshown to have a rectangular shape with its short sides having an archedshape. A screw hole is located outside each of four corners of the coldwater chamber 12. The cold water chamber 12 is located at a corner of atop surface of the casing 1, with one of its long side lateral facesbeing located on a first short side lateral face of the casing 1. Thecold water chamber 12 is shown to have a long side with a length of lessthan that of the short side of the casing. The cold water chamber 12 hasa short side lateral face located on a first long side lateral face ofthe casing 1.

As illustrated, the heat conductive member 22 is mounted, via a sealring 23, at the opening 120 on top of the cold water chamber 12. Theheat conductive member contacts with water that has not yet been heatedin the cold water chamber 12. The circuit board 2 and the heatconductive member 22 mounted at the opening 120 of the cold waterchamber 12 are shown as mounted in parallel on the top surface of thecasing 1. The seal ring 23 functions to prevent water in the cold waterchamber 12 from flowing through the interface between the heatconductive member 22 and the opening 120.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the temperature sensor 5 has a structure witha slim cylindrical shape. One end of the temperature sensor 5 is shownas mounted on the top surface of the casing 1 by a sensor fixing piece51. The temperature sensor 5 includes, at its opposite end, a probeextending into the heating water chamber and located close to theheating element 42 within the casing 1. The relief valve 7 is shown asmounted on the top surface of the casing 1.

The temperature sensor 5 is connected with the controller (e.g., formedby components on the circuit board 2), for monitoring and controllingthe temperature of the water in the heating water chamber and thetemperature of the heating element. In some embodiments, the temperaturesensor 5 may be omitted from a water heater device. The relief valve 7may be configured to reduce water pressure if the water input to thewater heater device is over-pressured. In other embodiments, e.g., whereit is ensured that the water is not over-pressured, the relief valve 7can be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flow meter 3 and the temperaturecontroller 6 are provided in parallel on the second long side lateralface of the casing 1, which is parallel to the first long side lateralface. The flow meter 3 has an inlet 31 and an outlet. The inlet 31 isconnected with an external water source (e.g., upstream water source),and the outlet of the flow meter 3 is connected with the inlet of thecasing 1. The temperature controller 6 has an inlet and an outlet 61.The inlet of the temperature controller 6 is connected with the outletof the casing 1. The outlet 61 of the temperature controller 6 is usedfor discharging the heated hot water (e.g., to a hose for providingwater to a nozzle for spraying human body parts if the water heaterdevice of the present application is installed in a bidet or toiletbidet).

In an embodiment where the water heater device is installed within asmart toilet (e.g., having a bidet feature for heating water to besprayed at a human body part), the cleaning water enters from the 31inlet of the flow meter, through the outlet of the flow meter, via theinlet of the casing, and into the cold water chamber 12, then flows intothe heating water chamber 13 (identified in FIG. 5) for heating. Theheated cleaning water passes through the outlet of the casing and theinlet of the temperature controller 6, and eventually discharges fromthe outlet 61 of the temperature controller. The hot water dischargedfrom the outlet 61 of the temperature controller 6 is used for sprayingthe portion of the human body to be cleaned.

The heating element 42 has a heating portion (e.g., a plate structure)provided in the heating water chamber 13 of the casing 1, and the twopower supply wires 41 of the heating element 42 are exposed as extendingfrom the second short side lateral face of the casing 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heat conductive member 22 is a formedpiece of thermally conductive copper plate and has a structure as bestshown in FIG. 3. The heat conductive member 22 includes a body portion221, a first connection terminal 222 and a second connection terminal223. The body portion 221 of the heat conductive member has a shape tomatch the opening on top of the cold water chamber 12. The body portion221 has edges that extend horizontally toward the surround of theopening. The extending portions are shown with screw holes configured tomatch screw holes outside the four corners of the cold water chamber 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the body portion 221 of the heat conductive memberhas a portion matching the opening on top of the cold water chamber 12.The portion for matching the opening on the top of the cold waterchamber 12 has a step-shaped groove structure 224. The step-shapedgroove structure 224 has a bottom face extending into the cold waterchamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom face of the step-shapedgroove structure 224 has an area less than or equal to that of theopening on top of the cold water chamber 12. The step shape groovestructure can be formed similarly to a funnel having a bottom face, withthe bottom face contacting the water in the cold water chamber 12. Inother words, the heat conductive member shown in FIG. 3 may have such astep-shaped groove structure 224 for purpose of enabling sufficientcontact of the heat conductive member (the member shown in FIG. 3) withthe water in the cold water chamber 12. Because the heat conductivemember is also coupled to the SCR (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 1), theheat conductive member allows the water in the cold water chamber 12 toremove heat from the SCR. While one particular structure for the heatconductive member is illustrated in FIG. 3 and in various other Figures,the heat conductive member may take different shapes, sized, andorientations suitable for thermally coupling the current driver (e.g.,SCR) with water of the cold water chamber.

The first connection terminal 222 of the heat conductive memberillustrated in FIG. 3 is a plate-shaped structure further extending fromthe body portion 221. A screw hole is shown as provided on theplate-shaped structure of the first connection terminal 222. The SCR ismounted on the plate-shaped structure of the first connection terminal222 via the screw hole, and the plate-shaped structure is mounted on thecircuit board. That is, the plate-shaped structure of the firstconnection terminal 222 is sandwiched between the circuit board and theSCR. This coupling of the heat conductive member of FIG. 3 to the otherelements of the water heater device is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2.

The second connection terminal 223 and the first connection terminal 222of the heat conductive member are shown in FIG. 3 as located on the sameside, presenting a step structure further extending from the bodyportion 221. In the illustrated embodiment, the step structure has astep face matching the lateral face of the circuit board. This mayfacilitate locating the heat conductive member for secure mounting tothe circuit board. The heat conductive member may be a heat conductivecopper plate. In other embodiments, the heat conductive member can be orinclude other thermally conductive materials (e.g., aluminum).

Referring now to FIG. 4, the casing 1 is shown as having a flat shape(e.g., a rectangular shape). The casing 1 is further shown to include,on its top surface, a cold water chamber 12, an inlet 11 of the casing,and a sensor mounting hole 52. The casing 1 is yet further shown toinclude a second opening 17 and a relief valve mounting structureprovided around the second opening 17. The casing 1 is further shown toinclude at least one screw post for facilitating the mounting of thecircuit board 2 to the casing 1.

The cold water chamber 12 is shown as located at a corner surrounded bythe first short side lateral face of the casing and the first long sidelateral face of the casing. On a second long side lateral face of thecasing, a flow meter fixing post and a flow meter fixing plate may beprovided (e.g., for mounting the flow meter as illustrated in FIG. 1). Atemperature controller mounting structure is shown in FIG. 4 as abracket around the outlet 16 of the casing 1. The second short sidelateral face of the casing is provided with a first opening 15 (notshown in FIG. 4, while shown in FIG. 6).

As shown in FIG. 4, the inlet 11 of the casing is a segment of tubularstructure. As finally installed in the kitchen or bath product, thetubular structure has one terminal connected to the cold water chamber12 and the other terminal extending out of the second long side lateralface of the casing 1 for connecting with the outlet of the flow meter 3via a water hose. The structures and positions of the flow meter fixingpost and the flow meter fixing plate on the second long side lateralface may vary, in different embodiments, based on the structure of theselected flow meter.

As shown in FIG. 4, the position of the second opening 17 on the topsurface of the casing 1 is near that of the outlet 16 of the casing 1 onthe second long side lateral face of the casing 1. The second opening 17may be in close fluid connection with the outlet 16 of the casing 1.

The heating water chamber 13 (illustrated in FIG. 5) is provided insidethe casing 1, and the heating water chamber 13 is in fluid communicationwith the cold water chamber 12. The connection structure 14 between theheating water camber 13 and the cold water chamber 12 can be seen byreferring to FIGS. 5 and 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, both the cold water chamber 12 and the inlet 11 ofthe casing 1 are in fluid communication with the heating water chamber13. The cold water chamber 12 is provided with an inlet 122 and anoutlet, and the heating water chamber 13 is also provided with an inlet131 and an outlet 133. The inlet 122 of the cold water chamber 12 is influidly coupled with the inlet 11 of the casing 1. The outlet of thecold water chamber 12 is in fluid communication, via an intermediatepassage or connection structure 14, with the inlet 131 of the heatingwater chamber (illustrated in FIG. 6). The outlet 133 of the heatingwater chamber 13 is in fluid communication with the outlet 16 of thecasing 1.

In the Figures, several partitions 121 are illustrated in the cold waterchamber 12 such that a zigzag water flow passage is formed in the coldwater chamber 12. After the water flows from the inlet 11 of the casing1 into the cold water chamber 12, the water flows along the zigzag waterflowing passage and, via the intermediate passage 14, eventually flowsinto the heating water chamber 13. As it is necessary for the cold waterin the cold water chamber 12 to pass through the zigzag water flowingpassage, the cold water is in contact with the heat conductive member 22for longer amount of time than if there were straight flow-through, thusadvantageously achieving a relatively efficient cooling effect on theSCR 21.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, several partitions 132 are also providedin the heating water chamber 13 such that a zigzag water flowing passageis formed in the heating water chamber 13. The heating water chamber 13also includes a containing space 134 for containing (i.e., holding,housing, etc.) the plate of heating element 42. The heating portion orplate of the heating element 42 is inserted, via the opening 15 on thesecond short side lateral face of the casing 1, into the containingspace 134 such that the heating plate of heating element 42 is locatedin the zigzag water flowing passage.

The cold water flowing from the cold water chamber 12 through theintermediate passage 14 enters, via the inlet 131 of the heating waterchamber, into the zigzag water flowing passage. The water in the zigzagwater flowing passage contacts with the heating portion of the heatingelement 42 and thus is heated. The heated water thereafter flows, viathe outlet 133 of the heating water chamber 13, towards the outlet 16 ofthe casing 1.

In alternative embodiments, the cold water chamber 12 or the heatingwater chamber 13 can be formed without any partitions or resultingzigzag portions.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the heating element 42 includes a heating platewith a rectangular shape. The heating element 42 is further shown toinclude two power supply wires 41 having a somewhat rectangular bend. Asshown, the two power supply wires 41 with a partially rectangular bendare provided on a short side of the heating element's plate portion.Each power supply wire 41 has one side or axis located on the same planewith the heating plate 42 and the another side or axis perpendicular tothe plane of the heating plate 42.

In the present embodiment, the casing is provided, on its second shortside lateral face, with a first opening 15 (identified in FIG. 6)matching the thickness of the heating plate of the heating element 42.The heating element 42 extends from the first opening 15, parallel totop and bottom surfaces of the casing, and into the casing. The powersupply wires 41 are exposed from the second short side lateral face ofthe casing 1. The heating member/plate may be a silicon nitride heatingplate or an alumina heating plate.

In the illustrated embodiment, the casing 1 is a relatively flatrectangular shape, and the heating portion of the heating element 42 hasa plate-shaped structure that somewhat matches the shape of the casing1. In other embodiments, the casing 1 and the heating element 42 canhave a cylinder shape, different shapes, or be of other suitable shapes(e.g., for fitting into a kitchen or bath product, for fitting into atoilet bidet's body so that water can be locally heated at the toiletbidet and provided via a relatively short path to a nozzle for sprayinga body part).

Advantageously, according to embodiments of the present invention, awater heating device for kitchen or bath products provides efficientcooling to a current driver (e.g., SCR) by using the cold water providedto water heating device and before the water is heated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water heater device for kitchen or bathproducts, comprising: a casing; a heating element; a driver configuredto provide current to the heating element such that the heating elementis heated; a cold water chamber provided on or in the casing; a heatconductive member thermally coupling water in the cold water chamber andthe driver, wherein water to be heated by the heating element is firstprovided to the cold water chamber and the heat conductive memberoperates to remove heat from the driver.
 2. The water heater device ofclaim 1, further comprising: a heating water chamber downstream of thecold water chamber and housing the heating element.
 3. The water heaterdevice of claim 2, wherein the cold water chamber and the heating waterchamber each include an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet ofthe cold water chamber is fluidly coupled to and receives water from aprimary water inlet of the water heater device.
 4. The water heaterdevice of claim 3, wherein the outlet of the cold water chamber fluidlycoupled to and provides water to the inlet of the heating water chamber,and wherein the outlet of the heating water chamber provides heatedwater to a primary water outlet of the water heater device.
 5. The waterheater device of claim 4, wherein the heat conductive member is mountedon top of the cold water chamber such that a flat surface area of theheat conductive member engages water in the cold water chamber.
 6. Thewater heater device of claim 5, further comprising: a circuit boardmounted on the casing, wherein the driver is mounted on the heatconductive member and a portion of the heat conductive member is mountedon the circuit board.
 7. The water heater device of claim 6, wherein thedriver is a silicon controlled rectifier configured to provide thecurrent to the heating element.
 8. The water heater device of claim 7,wherein the casing is a substantially rectangular prism.
 9. The waterheater device of claim 8, wherein the cold water chamber is provided ona side of the casing and wherein the cold water chamber has an opening,wherein a flat portion of the heat conductive member at least partiallycovers the opening such that water in the cold water chamber is held incontact with the heat conductive member.
 10. The water heater device ofclaim 9, wherein the heat conductive member comprises a body portion anda connection portion, wherein the body portion is mounted at the openingon top of the cold water chamber and contacts with water in the coldwater chamber, and wherein the connection portion is connected with thesilicon controlled rectifier and the circuit board.
 11. The water heaterdevice of claim 10, wherein the circuit board and the heat conductivemember on top of the cold water chamber are mounted substantially inparallel on the top surface of the casing.
 12. The water heater deviceof claim 11, wherein the opening of the cold water chamber has arectangular shape with its short sides having an arched shape, andwherein the cold water chamber is provided at a top surface at a cornerof the casing, its long side lateral face is located on a first shortside lateral face of the casing, and the long side has a length lessthan that of the short side of the casing; the cold water chamber has ashort side lateral face located on a first long side lateral face of thecasing.
 13. The water heater device of claim 12, further comprising: ascrew hole is provided outside each of the four corners of the coldwater chamber, wherein the body portion of the heat conductive memberhas a shape to match for coupling into the opening on top of the coldwater chamber.
 14. The water heater device of claim 13, wherein the bodyportion extends towards the surroundings horizontally, the extendingportions at the surroundings are provided with screw holes matching thescrew holes outside the four corners of the cold water chamber.
 15. Thewater heater device of claim 14, wherein the connection portion of theheat conductive member comprises a first connection terminal and asecond connection terminal, the first connection terminal is a platefurther extending from the extending portion of the body portion,wherein the plate is mounted on the circuit board, and the driver ismounted on the plate.
 16. The water heater device of claim 15, whereinthe second connection terminal and the first connection terminal extendfrom a same side of the body portion.
 17. The water heater device ofclaim 16, wherein at least one of the second connection terminal and thefirst connection terminal include a step configured to match a lateralface of the circuit board for mounting.
 18. The water heater device ofclaim 17, wherein the body portion of the heat conductive member has aportion matching the opening on top of the cold water chamber which is astep shape groove, and the step shape groove has a bottom face extendinginto the cold water chamber.
 19. The water heater device of claim 18,wherein the bottom face of the step shape groove structure has an arealess than or equal to that of the opening on top of the cold waterchamber.
 20. The water heater device of claim 19, further comprising: aseal ring is provided between the body portion of the heat conductivemember and the opening on top of the cold water chamber, and wherein theheat conductive member is copper or aluminum.